bombayblue™

As some of you might know. The FA Premier League has come out with a ruling that all squads will be limited to 25 players with no more than 17 players not being home-grown What this means from what I have gathered is All players will be termed home-grown if they have spent 3 entire seasons or 36 months before their 21st birthday or including the entire season in which they turned 21. Also the squad size is restriced only to the players above the age of 21. That means a team can have any number of players below 21 even if they don't fit the home-grown criteria. So we can sign someone say aged 20 from a foriegn country and he won't be counted in the "25" until he turns 21. Our tranfers will revolve around this rule so looking at our current squad. Squad No. Name Age HG 1 Petr Cech 27 - 2 Branislav Ivanovic 26 - 3 Ashley Cole 29 YES 5 Michael Essien 27 - 6 Ricardo Carvalho 31 - 8 Frank Lampard 32 YES 10 Joe Cole 28 YES 11 Didier Drogba 32 - 12 Mikel 23 - 13 Michael Ballack 33 - 15 Florent Malouda 29 - 17 Jose Bosingwa 27 - 18 Yury Zhirkov 26 - 19 Paulo Ferreira 31 - 20 Deco 32 - 21 Salomon Kalou 24 - 22 Ross Turnbull 25 YES 24 Nemanja Matic 21 - 26 John Terry 29 YES 33 Alex 27 - 35 Juliano Belletti 33 - 39 Nicolas Anelka 31 - 40 Henrique Hilario 34 - We have a squad of 23 players with 18 overseas players and our sales would revolve around cutting down on one. We have just 5 home grown players above 21, so there is room for more. I haven't counted Daniel Sturridge, as he is 20 and it doesn't really affect any selection criteria and other youth products under 21. The easiest way to cut the count by one on the overseas players is to let Hilario go and promote someone like Sebak, Taylor or Walker. Also getting back Loanees like Franco Di Santo and Slobdan Rajkovic would add an extra overseas players. While the rest including Stoch will fulfil the home grown criteria. The players whose future is under the scanner are Ricardo Carvalho: Best centre back in our squad when on form but his injuries and age make him a prime target for offloading Joe Cole: Everyone at the club think he'll stay and Carlo is always right Michael Ballack: He is 33 turning 34 in early next season. A one year rolling contract with a cut in wages wouldn't hurt and provide some experienced cover. Paulo Ferreira: Personally I would like him to stay on forver, he is the ideal professional never moans never talks out of turn and Carlo seems to like him too but this season he has been 3rd choice RB and LB, and if we want our youth to step up, it's time we let him go with all due respect Deco: Enough has been said already in the media about his impending move to Brasil to be closer to his ailing son. Juliano Belletti: At 33 he has lost pace, 4th choice at Fullback and Holding midfield role. Time to move on Henrique Hilario: Has been more than decent when called upon and if Turnbull and a keeper from our academy can step up, it might be time to bid Au Revoir. Then again he might just stay. So, Out Carvalho Paulo Deco Belletti Hilario In An attacking Midfielder Possibly a early-mid 20's Winger/Striker Promoted from Academy: Bruma, Kakuta, Borini, Hutchinson. Mancienne and Stoch want first team games and I think they might be loaned out for yet another season.

was n my way home after the celebrations and BBC UK called some Russel was the host and did a short phone in interview a couple of questions.. might be the post match show or soemthing.. I was in complete shock and can't remember a thing.. I dont even remember what did they ask and what did I answer.. Awesome double though, had a pompey fan from England join us.. Pool and Manu have never won back to back FA cups, now there's some history they don't have

It still hasn't quite sunk in.. I couldn't sleep the night before the game not out of nervousness but restlesness and I couldn't sleep last night either.. I hope the boys are up for Pompey.. Its could give us a part of history that even Pool and Manyoo don't have.. Back to back FA cup champions..

United play at home to spurs before us, hope we don't let that result affect our performance.. Forget what has happened till now, get your chins up, make a fresh start and know just this, 4 wins in 4 games = 2 trophies..

Just about every decision that was 50-50 went against us.. That is not to say we put up a cracker of a show, we had a sluggish start and before we knew it we were a goal down, trying to settle down and attack and bam, second goes in.. Nothing seemed to go in for us, while their strikers were helle bent on showing Lawro that he missed a sitter of a 2-0.. The league is very much still in our hands and what better time to get a kick up the back to realise that nothing can be taken for granted and just 4 next wins will give us a trophy.. A man who banks spurs and etc but they can do us a favour and I hope they do.. If 11 liverpool fans line up against us we'll see a flurry of own goals on 2nd May

I had some free time so here goes Spurs Line up from yesterday and Pompey Gomes 210 min Bale 210 min Dawson 210 min Corluka 120 min Bassong 120 min King 90 min Kaboul 90 min Assou Ekotto 90 min Modric 210 min Huddlestone 192 min Bentley 123 min (spread over 2 games) Palacios 120 min Rose 46 min Gudjohnsen 41 min (spread over 2 games) Kranjcar 41 min Defoe 126 min (spread over 2 games) Crouch 122 min (spread over 2 games) Pavlyuchenko 119min (spread over 2 games) Based on that i think their team for saturday will be ____________________Gomes_____________________ Corluka_________King______Dawson_____Assou-Ekotto Bentley_______Palacios_____Modric/Eidur____Kranjcar _____________Defoe______Pavlyuchenko____________ Possibly Bassong stepping in for either of King or Dawson, given King's injury history it might be him. Ours I expect to be the same back 5 with a bonus of Ivanovic if he starts, Lamps, Mikel, Deco, Joey, Malouda, Drogba.. They won't have too tired legs as it may seem from the time they have played or a days less rest and I expect the game to get fiesty, but the resilience we've shown in the past few weeks to get a result should pull us through..

Our 3-1 win at Anfield last season in the CL

There is this small possibility that should United lose to Citeh and Arsenal drop points from their next 3 and ofcourse we winning against spurs and stoke, then Liverpool will have to form the guard of honour at Anfield. How would that feel to have Stevie ME and Ladyboy Torres clapping us on to the field, Torres refused to shake Iva's hand and it would be fitting he'd clap him on to the field. Ofcourse we have won fuck all yet but I must say the thought is tempting..

I voted for Malouda as he hasn't really been a fans favourite since he came and although Drogba deserves the award, he has got through games when not at his best by scoring. I just think the award would mean a little more to Malouda than Drogba.

still hoping we as fans and team are back on ground before the semis, I don't wanna fuck this up.. A League & FA Cup double in the first season, how many managers have done that?

Brilliant game, was speaking to my friend yesterday before the game about what it would feel like to win the game in a controversial manner with some help from Mike dean Felt great.. It's always nice to have the referees decision go our away after what we've been through..

Personally i think he does better in the DM role than the CB or even the RB role, where his slip ups dont get magnified a lot and dont end up costing as much.. He clearly needs some improvement and keeping him with us if he isn't going to get games makes no sense.. Even if we sell of Carvalho, Paulo and belletti, I don't see him getting the odd PL or CL game ahead of Alex Iva and Bosingwa in the defence or ahead of Essien and Mikel as DM.. So only a loan spell will make him grow further while at the same time not letting him go, his value also will only increase with another spell in the primier league

Aboslutely, They seem class, the home one does have a litlle too much white, probably remove the white at the bottom of the sleeves.. but I'd buy them both anyway

Well after tonights game, it'll be easier to get results against spurs, pool, as either way we'll need wins desperately to stay top or pull closer to united..

Can't wait for the game, hope we show our intent for the title by stamping our authority on the pitch and getting the 3 points, by hook or by crook or even with Mike Deans Grace, doesn't matter.. Up The Chels.. Ferguson are you listening? you better keep our trophy glistening... Btw made this chant up to the tune of Piranhas - Tom Hark/ wayne Rooney white pele song They wh**** themselves to a yank, and now they dress like the mighty Norwich clan, So I asked who are they? They go by the name of Glazers bi***, Glazers bi***, Glazers bi***.. Shitty Man United are the Glazers bi***..

They said he wouldn't score without Maka covering, they said he wouldn't score with Ballack around him, they even said he wouldn't score in the diamond.. and as the world wanks away to the Messis, ronaldos and rooneys, one man simply keeps it doing year after year after year.. Legend status is such an insult to The Frank Lampard, King of Gods... 2 deflected goals in 2 years, up yours, haters...

Should be a belter for the first 20 minutes and a formality come 70th minute.. We're definitelty winning this one, if not i'd be really pissed on our players..

Jose Mourinho once famously said that Paulo Ferreira is the type of player who'll give you a 7/10 performance every game consistently... If I may dare add, Branislav Ivanovic is the type of player who'lll give you a 8/10 performance every game consistently.. Mikel was at fault for Scotty's goal, he was 5 yards ahead of him, with all other spammers marked, in the middle of nowhere.. but he puts in such a brilliant performance game after game that I really find it hard to criticise him.. The commentator said he'd have Scotty over Mikel in his Chelsea 11.. but I beg to differ.. Also the fans to be most pissed at not having kept a clean sheet must be ours but i don't mind giving one up to ex players we all loved as long as those goals count for little in the result.. Malouda has been one of the most consistent performers of the season and I'd like to see Malouda win the POTY and Iva get the players POTY.. I know drogba has been immense but he doesn't really need it, well that is harsh but it would be disheartening to see either of Malouda or Iva's efforts go unappreciated..

Viva John Terry.. Alex was just as immense alongside him.. Anelka was brilliant, deserved that shot at the far post to go in just for his game tonight.. Mikel and Iva were their brilliant self.. and There's Only One HILARIOOOOO...

Its nice that we aren't playing Inter this week, would have been worried abt players not being focussed.. Come on Chelsea...

I honestly believed something like last WC would happen and a la Cannavaro JT would end up lifting the WC..

This one will be a toughie, especially with their dearth of international players and midweek rest.. I expect Joey to play through the middle along with Lamps and Mikel.. and Sturridge, Drogba and Anelka upfront.. 2-0

Was a penalty, Should have been a draw, could have been a victory but we didn't deserve it.. Drogba bar the free kick, Anelka bar the simple passes and failing almost completely with the telling ones and Kalou bar the goal were poor.. Drogs and Anelka have set high standards for themselves and they couldn't hold the ball up, take shots on target or link up with each other.. Ditto for the midfield going forward, the pitch at San Siro is amongst the bigger ones and we were out numbered 4 to 3 and when we won the ball both Lampard and Ballack were too deep in our territory tracking back to have any sort of control over the game. Our defence was our saving grace.. 2-1 with an away goal isn't a bad result, we have to win at the bridge and let's face it, if we couldn't beat opposition at home then what's difference between us and liverpool.. The small size of the pitch at home will pack the midfield up and hopefully Essien, Zhirkov and Cech will be fit for that one.

Won't be easy, most players will have an eye on the Inter tie.. we should jut think abt this match until its over.. Would want Ballack to be rested to be fit for the Inter and Citeh tie..

A definite must win, The win against Arsenal would mean nothing if we slipped up today.. They are considerably weakened though, missing Fellaini and Pienaar.. Moyes will surely start Yakubu to test us at Set pieces, especially with Fellaini missing.